The Brixton Week Ahead

Tuesday: Fun, silly, even cringeworthy – it’s the Open Mic night at Upstairs at The Ritzy. Sign-up is at 7pm and performances kick off at 7.30pm. If that’s too much for you, there are a bunch of good films on at the moment – ‘The King’s Speech’, ‘127 Hours’, ‘Of Gods and Men’.

Wednesday: Cute alt-pop band Silvers are from Brixton and they’ve been busy recording their first album in an underground studio in Atlantic Rd. You can see the fruits of their labour at the EP launch at The Windmill, 8pm. Listen here to hear them first.

Thursday: Sports time. For the stressed among you, there’s Hatha Yoga at 12pm at Brixton Rec. Or for something a little more hardcore, try Power Pump at 6pm. Both for all levels, so no excuses. See here for the programme.

Friday: Brixton Jamm has a massive line-up tonight – Jehst is headlining the event which includes 12 Tone Bass Band and DJ Chef.

New Year’s Day fun

Lost for how to fill the first day of the year? Here are some Brixton-based ideas:

– The Ritzy is screening ‘The Hangover’ at 2pm especially for New Year’s Day . This is actually a good film.

– FOOD. If the Market’s open, get to Nour Cash and Carry and buy the goods to cook up a feast. Or just grab some plantain, jerk chicken and curry from Take Two.

– A walk in Brockwell Park. Or a swim at the Brixton Rec, in preparation for Brockwell Lido’s outdoor swim (brrr) on 8 January.

– For those who saved themselves for partying on New Years’ Day (gah), Plan B is hosting the afterparty for the Together 10th anniversary, with two rooms of electro-bass, breaks and house including the Stanton Warriors and Jurassik. And Brixton Jamm is hosting an all-day event – the Kerfuffle New Years Day/Wiggle After Party.

The Weekend Ahead in Brixton (plus a Thursday)

Thursday: Brixton-based hip hop collective, The Illersapiens, are back for their monthly residency Soul Jam! at the Ritzy Cinema.

Friday: Another, more established Brixton band are playing tonight at Brixton Jamm – it’s the Alabama 3 with an acoustic set and songs from throughout their career (£10 advance tickets)

Saturday: Get swishing from 12pm today at the OxJam fundraising ‘Frock Swap’. Swappers bring 3 items of good quality clothing to the event, pay £5 entry, and you get a free Oxjam cocktail or mini manicure before the swapping commences.  They even have DJs to keep you entertained and an in-house tailor to assist with any alterations. (Dogstar, £5 entry. 12-4pm)

If you fancy an exhibition, there are a few on offer this weekend in Brixton – see Kurt Tong‘s photography at Photofusion or the group exhibition, You Don’t See That Every Day, at the Red Gate Gallery in Coldharbour Lane.

Sunday: It’s the Urban Green Fair in Brockwell Park from 11am-7pm. There’ll be a health zone, social justice stalls and, best of all, the Brockwell Bake.

The Brixton week ahead

You’d expect this weekend to be a bit of a comedown after the revels of the Lambeth Country Show. But tonight Brixton is buzzing – Erykah Badu is playing at the Academy, there’s an after-concert ‘jam’ at Plan B and the Alabama 3 are at Brixton Jamm with Outlaw, Acoustic and Unplugged and Alan Mcgee (DJ Set).

And there’s lots more to come this week:

Sunday 25: Set to be 26 degrees –  park, park, park, park. In the evening, enjoy the ‘Sunday Blues‘ music at Upstairs @ The Ritzy at 8pm.

Wednesday 28:  The Lido Cafe is holding the Summer Party, #2. There’ll be live flamenco guitar music and a BBQ. Nothing can bring back the dreamy BBQ parties of the pre-Fusion days – this is the next best.

Thursday 29: It’s the first public meeting to discuss the Co-op Council, from 6-8.30pm – see here for details and then go shout about what you want to happen. And at 7.30pm, a new zine is being launched at The Grosvenor Pub by the I Digress residency – it’s an illustration and short fiction zine put together by a group of local artists and authors who meet regularly at The Grosvenor. [UPDATE 27/7] And later in the evening, Gold Panda is playing at Rest is Noise – for free!

Friday 30: Six-piece reggae band, ‘The Drop’, are launching their EP at Hootananny, accompanied by Mr Benn and Serial Killaz.